Hi JJK,
Here is my story….
When my first child was nine months old, I was diagnosed as stage 1B. The lymph node biopsy and PET came back clear. It took us three years and multiple miscarriages to have our first, so we were excited to try again. All of my doctors said we were fine to have another. When I was pregnant with my second, I found a lump in my groin at 20 weeks. It was advanced-staged melanoma. I chose not to undergo any treatment, but did have a complete lymph node dissection. We induced at 37 weeks and my son was born healthy. Seven days later I found out I had tumors in my liver, lungs, spine, and lots of subcutaneous spots throughout my body. I failed chemotherapy. I moved with my husband, two-year-old daughter, and two-month-old son from North Dakota to Texas to enter a medical trial at MD Anderson. The trial was hell, but I was lucky to be a complete responder to Ipi-Nivo. I have been cancer-free for nearly five years and off meds for three. My son will enter kindergarten in the fall and my daughter will turn eight.
My doctor at MD Anderson (one of my favorite humans) agrees that my pregnancy influenced my melanoma. She advised me to have my tubes tied. It was a tough decision because I always thought we would have more children. However, I want to be a part of my children’s lives, so I did have the surgery.
I will say that had I not had children, I would try to become pregnant knowing the risks. However, I’d find doctors willing to take precautions. I would see a melanoma specialist who would be willing to work with an obstetrician. Melanoma is one of three types of cancer (leukemia/lymphoma) that can spread from the mother to the baby. Because of this, I would have weekly ultrasounds to check the placenta for any abnormalities.
Good luck making your decision. It’s very personal and very difficult.
Hugs,
Ashley
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